The present invention relates to a process for making a decorative article, and more particularly a multi-layered decorative article.
Solid surface articles have been available for over twenty years. The term "solid surface" relates to a material that has substantially the same physical and aesthetic properties throughout its thickness. Thus, if the surface of the material is sanded or planed, a substantially identical aesthetic is found. Solid surface materials are typically molded out of various thermosetting resins such as unsaturated polyester resins. Various aesthetics are produced such as solid color, marbleized color (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,230 to Stecker) and particulate dispersion (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,401 to Bellasalma et al.).
The limitation of these solid surface materials and the processes for making them are that in order to provide other decorative effects such as patterns, inlays or grooves simulating grout or seams, a highly skilled machinist must manually cut the effect into the solid surface material followed by casting a resin having a contrasting color, for example, into the cut portion to provide the decorative effect. This is time consuming and often is not carried out by the manufacturer but by a craftsman in the field. Moreover, such a technique has limited ability for mass production. Decorative articles used for such things as flooring components, wall components, and table and counter tops and having three-dimensional texture and depth are difficult to mass produce.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a process of providing a decorative article and, particularly, a multi-layered, three-dimensional decorative article that is economical to produce and capable of being produced in mass quantities without sacrificing aesthetic appeal.